Radiation curable coating process

Abstract

A curable coating process wherein the surface of a panel formed from wood, particle board, plastic, etc., is coated with a radiation curable coating. A radiation permeable film has a controlled gloss surface on one side thereof, and the film is placed over the panel with the controlled gloss surface in intimate contact with the uncured radiation sensitive coating. The panel and film are then together irradiated to cure the coating to the same gloss as the gloss controlled surface, with the sheet and film being removed after curing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process of applying a predetermined surface finish to a panel comprising the steps of coating the surface of the panel with a radiation curable liquid coating material; covering the liquid coated panel surface with a radiation permeable casting film having a predetermined surface finish on its side in contact with the coated panel, rolling the film on the panel to cause the uncured coating material intimately to conform to said predetermined casting film surface finish; and then irradiating the coated panel through said casting film to cause the coating material to cure in conformance with the predetermined surface finish on said casting film. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 with the additional step of cleaning the surface of the panel before said coating step. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 with the additional step of removing the casting film from the coated panel after said irradiating step. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein said covering step comprises covering the coated panel surface with a transparent material having a controlled gloss surface with a predetermined surface finish on the side thereof in contact with the coated panel. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 4 wherein said transparent material comprises a transparent plastic film. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 4 wherein said gloss controlled surface comprises a layer of a dried resinous coating material on one side of said transparent material. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 1 wherein said coating step comprises passing the panel through a roll coater for application of the radiation curable coating material to the surface thereof. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 1 wherein said radiation curable coating comprises an ultraviolet curable, polymerizable resin in liquid form, and said irradiating step comprises subjecting the coated panel to an ultraviolet radiation source through said casting film. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 1 wherein said radiation curable coating comprises an electron beam curable coating material in liquid form, and said irradiating step comprises subjecting the coated panel and casting film to an electron beam radiation source. 
     
     
       10. The process of claim 1 with the additional step of coating the panel surface with a tie coat material prior to coating said surface with the radiation curable coating.